


In Every Reality, We Come Together

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, F/F, Ficlet Collection, Lapidot Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-22 02:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15571467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Ficlets written for Lapidot AU Week.Day 1: Pirates/Princesses/MermaidsDay 2: Flower Shop/Tattoo artist AUDay 3: Angels/Demons/Supernatural





	1. Together Always

To say Lapis Lazuli, Princess of the Blue Realm of the Ocean, was bored would be a vast understatement.Generally speaking, she didn’t really mind lounging around for extended periods of time.So long as she was able to work on one of her many sculpture projects or practice yet another new instrument (Lapis wasn’t particularly _good_ at making music, but she loved the sound of melodies enough to keep trying anyway).

But now?Without those things?

While sitting in the court of the Realm Queen, Blue Diamond, listening to the various so-and-so’s drone on and on about whatever it was they were were droning?Yeah, definitely not Lapis’s definition of interesting or fun.She hardly saw why she had to be there anyway.Her Most Royal Majesty had already announced that it would be her younger, more _competent_ princess, Aquamarine, who would ascend to the throne once her flawless reign came to its natural conclusion (whenever _that_ was, Queen Blue was nearly ancient and showed absolutely no signs of going anywhere).So there was hardly any point for Lapis to have to suffer through that day’s court session.Except, of course, for the fact that Queen Blue’s right hand, Holly Blue Agate, liked form and structure and it _looked_ good when Queen and both Princesses were in attendance at court.

Lapis thrashed her tail, upsetting the calm current.She hardly cared.She sat back on her throne and scowled.Earned an irritated glance from Holly Blue.Lapis smirked back.What was Holly going to do?Publicly berate a _Blue Princess_ right in front of the entire court?Sure, it may be a well-known fact that Lapis was currently out of favor with Her Majesty, but she was still _royal._ Queen Blue would never tolerate such an insult to one of her own.

“Pssst.Princess Lazuli.Hey!Pssst.”

The voice came from a nondescript, decorative coral in the corner nearest Lapis’s throne.Lapis smiled. _Finally_.

“Took you long enough to show up, Peri,” Lapis whispered to the coral.

Something green shifted in the coral’s center, though it was invisible unless one was looking specifically for it.“Yeah, well, it took way longer than expected for the crew to unload the cargo.If Captain Jasper just _listened_ to my ideas, I could have us working at 800 times our current efficiency rate, but nooooo.”

Lapis snorted.Covered her mouth before she broke out into full laughter.“Of course,” she murmured.

“So…?”

“Let’s ditch.This has been the most boring hour of my life.”

“You said that last time.”

“Hey, it’s true for all court sessions.”Lapis prepared her spell.Just a little water disturbance to cover their exit.Nothing too too major.

The ensuing boom sent out shockwaves that were felt all throughout the palace structure.

While she raced out into the waters beyond the palace, Lapis knew she’d be in for a berating from Queen Blue herself later, but she hardly cared.Now was the time she got to spend with _Peridot_.

Peridot.Peridot, who wasn’t of royal birth or of any birth really.She’d been born in one of the smaller, lesser colonies and been far tinier than the average newborn.Thus, she’d been considered unfit to become a full part of the colony and kicked out at an early age.Lapis didn’t know what age exactly or what Peridot had done during the brief time between then and being taken in by Captain Jasper’s mercenary crew—Peri never liked talking about it.Now, she worked as a sort-of accounting manager for Jasper.Or something.That’s what Peridot claimed she was, at least.However, she’d also often told Lapis that the crew always dumped all the worst tasks on her just because she was small and they could.

For all Jasper was a famed ex-general from the Crystal War and favored by both Queen Blue and Queen Yellow Diamond of the Yellow Realm, Lapis hated her with every fiber of her being.Peridot may try to brush off how she was treated as nothing too bad, but Lapis knew she deserved better.Far better.

Peridot laughed, dragging Lapis out of her thoughts.Something in her chest felt lighter.It was always good to hear Peri laugh.

“Did you see the looks on their faces?Ha!Priceless!”Peridot swam in a circle, her tail fins fanning out and catching the sunlight.She abruptly stopped.Her thick yellow-green hair rushed to catch up with her, which bent her ear fins out of place.“You won’t get in trouble for that, will you?”

“I’m a princess, I’m _never_ in trouble.”Lapis swam up to her.

Peridot frowned.“Don’t lie to me.”

“Ok, maybe a little, but it was totally worth it.”Lapis swam around and around Peridot, enjoying just looking at her.It had been far too long since they’d seen each other.She could never forget what Peridot looked like, but the brightness of her green scales, the _lightness_ of her always managed to take Lapis’s breath away.

In Queen Blue’s court, almost everyone was a shade of blue.Lapis herself had a leathery, navy blue tail and hair the same hue.Her skin too was a deep sort of periwinkle blue.The only not-blue part of her was the shimmery, golden veins that ran all over her.

In comparison, Peridot was green like fresh sprouts of seaweed.

Despite what Peri herself said, Lapis knew that she’d never match Peridot’s beauty.

“Hey, Peri?”Lapis asked quietly, so quietly it gained her a worried expression from Peridot, “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?What’s wrong?”

“Have…” Lapis began.She bit her lip.“Have you ever thought about swimming away?”She took a deep breath.“Swimming away and never coming back?”Lapis ran a hand through her hair.“I—I hate it here.The only thing that’s good is, is _you_.”Another deep breath.“I just want to be with you.”Her hands clenched into fists.“I hate who I am here.I hate _hating_ everything.I want—I think I want—to be happy.”She finally looked up at Peridot’s face.“So, so I’d like you to swim away with me.”She held out a hand to Peridot.

Peridot frowned.“Lapis, I…I can’t just _leave_.Jasper took me in.Without her I wouldn’t even be here now.I—”

“Jasper treats you like shit.”The words were harsh, too harsh.Lapis winced.

Peridot sighed.“I know, but out there.”She gestured to the open waters.“Out there, it’s really hard to survive on your own and you’d be what?A runaway princess.Chased forever by the Queens.”She looked away from Lapis.“Here, at least, we have a 100% chance of living our lives.It may not be the best, but hey we still get to see each other.Sometimes.Whenever the crew has a haul good enough to bring to court.Which isn’t often.Almost never really.So…” Peridot let her train of thought go.“Lapis, I love you, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Lapis reached out to Peridot.“And I don’t want to see you continue to be hurt how things are now.”She paused.“I love you, too.”

There was a moment silent but for the currents moving around them.

“Say please.”Peridot broke it.She clasped her hands with Lapis’s.“Say, Peridot please come away with me because I’m going to run away no matter what you do and that way I’ll at least have you with me to lessen the risk.And then I’ll have to say that the probabilities are likely against us but I care about you far too much to let you do this all on your own cause you’re not as logical as I am and, and…”

“Yes!”Lapis grabbed Peridot’s other hand and pulled in her close.“All those words!Peridot, without you there to be my reasonable half I—I don’t know what I’ll do!I’m too impulsive!”

Peridot grinned recklessly at her.“Yes!Yes!Now I have no choice but to say ‘yes, I’ll run away with you!’”She laughed.Spun Lapis around in a circle.

When they stopped spinning, Lapis leaned in and kissed Peridot.It wasn’t their first kiss, but, given it marked their newfound freedom, it was the sweetest.


	2. Because of a Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot, the florist has a massive crush on Lapis, the tattoo artist.
> 
> Pumpkin the cat has a quiet plan to get them together.
> 
> I like the idea of maybe doing more with this au later, but this enough for now.
> 
> Also featuring a Bispearl cameo (I think that's the right ship name for Bismuth/Pearl, regardless it's them)

On Barn Street, there were two business that absolutely all the Beachtown (a small neighborhood in the larger Crystalopolis) locals knew, Painted Wings Tattoo Shop and Pumpkin’s Premium Flowers.Most outsiders to the neighborhood would wonder why these two small businesses, of all the unique, little shops clustered in that area, garnered the most attention.Some locals would spin a story about a decades-old feud.Others would just shrug and say they liked each of the shops’ services respectively.Most would roll their eyes.The owner of the small bakery/cafe a street over, Pearl, would sigh, share an exhausted look with her wife, the local jeweler who specialized in rare metals, Bismuth, and say it was because of a cat.

Some years back, an ex-Diamond Authority Officer, Peridot, arrived with her fat, orange-striped cat, Pumpkin, and started a flower shop selling whatever she could grow in the small backyard behind her shop.Most eyed her warily, as the Diamond Authority wasn’t exactly favored in this part of town, but she was friends with the youngest child of the DeMayo family, Steven.Since the DeMayos had been a part of the neighborhood as long as anyone could remember, it was communally decided that Peridot could stay.And then, it was found out that, if you spent just five minutes with Peridot, you’d learn she was just as weird as everyone else, so she quickly fit right in.Plus, everyone loved Pumpkin, who won a couple awards for Sweetest Cat Ever, which Peridot proudly hung behind the counter of her flower shop.

More recently, one Lapis Lazuli, also a friend of young Steven and someone who didn’t share much about herself, moved in to start Painted Wings Tattoos.Unlike Peridot, who’d quickly involved herself in every aspect of Beachtown life, Lapis kept to herself.She only really travelled out of her apartment above her shop to buy groceries and the occasional drink/donut combo from the Big Donut on the street corner. 

That is, until Pumpkin decided to intervene in her life.And Peridot’s.

* * *

 “For the last time, I do NOT have a crush!”Peridot slammed her hands down on the counter, causing her to lose her balance.The stool she used to be able to see over the counter wobbled, but, by now, Peridot was an expert in not letting it tip over.

From where she browsed that day’s selection of flowers, Bismuth laughed.“Sure you don’t, shorty.”She gestured to the flowers.“This all you got today?It’s our anniversary in a week but—”

“Your bouquet will be ready at the agreed upon pickup time of 9 am.”Peridot interrupted, relieved to jump back to the familiarity of work orders.

“I know, I know, but Pearl’s being having such a hard time getting her latest tart recipe juuust right.She won’t stop until it’s absolutely perfect.”Bismuth looked back to Peridot.“You know how she can get.”

Peridot nodded.There were Reasons she dreaded when Pearl came into the shop looking for flowers for Bismuth.She, Peridot, was the only perfectionist allowed to reign in Pumpkin’s Premium Flowers.Absolutely no one else ever was.Including Pearl.Who always, _always_ tested that rule.

“Anyway, I was thinking I’d get her something small and special now, you know as a pick me up.”Bismuth approached the counter.“So, you got anything good for me?And remember, absolutely no roses.”

“I am aware of the ban on roses you two have,” Peridot answered.She prided herself in remembering all her regulars’ preferences, yet these two never failed in reminding her of their “no roses” rule.It was irritating to constantly be reminded, but she could say she understood it.She herself, wasn’t fond of being reminded of the past.

Peridot glanced all around at her stock, but there was nothing particularly extraordinary in the showcased bunch.“I’ll check the back.” She told Bismuth.

In her backroom, Peridot checked over her more unusual flowers.Most of what she grew were the normal fair; tulips, roses, daffodils, the general flowers customers wanted.But she also did a bit of experimenting where she could and her results were one-of-a-kind.She had flowers with petals each a different color.Flowers that chimed little melodies when they bloomed.Flowers that were so saturated in color that they made you want to stare at them all day long.

While she determined that a small, potted violet with crystal-like petals that refracted light beautifully would do nicely for Bismuth, Peridot heard the merry ding-ling of her shop bell.She returned to the main room.

And her entire world ended.

Lapis Lazuli was in her shop.Lapis Lazuli, who ran the tattoo shop across the street, was in her shop.Also she was holding Pumpkin in her arms.But the main thing here was that she was In Peridot’s Shop.

Instead of her usual welcome that she gave customers, a garbled mess of sounds spilled from Peridot’s mouth.

“Right.Absolutely no crush here.”Bismuth rolled her eyes.

“I—errr—I—um—I—”Peridot clamped her mouth shut before my syllables escaped.

Lapis approached the counter.“This is your cat, right?”She held up Pumpkin, who mewed.“Cause he wandered into my shop.”

Peridot was still in ‘Most Beautiful Person Ever Is In My Shop And Holding My Cat’ world, so Bismuth replied for her, “Yeah, that’s Pumpkin.Everyone knows her so Peri here lets her wander around to say hi.”

“Oh, um, ok.She’s really cute.”Lapis placed Pumpkin down on the counter.Pumpkin padded over to Peridot, rubbed against her arm, and purred.“But I don’t really want her in my shop.”

Lapis looked once between Bismuth and Peridot, who still hadn’t managed to remember how to do words.“So, yeah, um, I’m gonna go now.See ya later.”She left.

After the door closed behind her, Peridot inhaled a breath that could have set a world record.Then, “BISMUTH DID YOU SEE THAT SHE WAS IN MY SHOP AND SHE TALKED TO ME AND SHE LIKED PUMPKIN AND SHE SHE SHE—”Peridot fell backward off her stool.She landed on the floor and just lay there.“That’s it.My life is officially complete.”

“So…you’re not going to ask her out?”Bismuth leaned on the counter.She gave Peridot a knowing look.

“I—how can I?I can’t even speak around her.I wouldn’t know where to even begin.”

* * *

 This time it was Pearl who was in Peridot’s shop when Lapis came in.Things, for once, were actually not going horribly.Ok, Pearl had only been inside three minutes so there was still time since she usually spent an estimated 30-40 minutes being wishy-washy over what she would purchase, but still.Those first minutes were usually an indicator of how things would go and, today, they were good.

“Um, hey.”Lapis offered a noncommittal wave of her hand as she walked in.“Your cat wandered into my shop again.”She held up Pumpkin, who mewed accordingly.

“Oh, hello.You’re Ms. Lazuli, right?From across the street?”Pearl spoke before Peridot could muster herself to do the same.“Bismuth just loves her new tattoo.You’re a very talented artist.”

“Thanks.”Lapis shrugged.She put Pumpkin down on the counter.The cat sat down, and then looked up at all three of them expectantly.

“So, how did you get into art, if you don’t mind me asking?”Pearl apparently wanted to make smalltalk.

Peridot scratched Pumpkin behind the ears, unsure of whether to be thankful or not that she didn’t necessarily have to navigate taking part of the conversation.

Lapis answered, “I’ve always liked drawing and ink is a nice medium to work with.It seemed like a natural path to take.”She turned to Peridot.“Hey, Peridot right?I’ve been thinking, you’ve got some cool plants in here.Would it be ok if I came in and drew them sometime?I don’t have many floral designs and they’d make for some wicked inspiration.”

“Yes!”Peridot winced.That sounded waaaay too excited.She gulped and tried again.“Yes, yes of course.Come over any time!”

Lapis smiled at her.“Thanks.”

“Yup.”Peridot tried to lean on the counter, but her elbow missed and she fell.

“Nice.”Lapis laughed before helping her up.“So I’ll come over tomorrow then?Around 8?”

Peridot pretended that she wasn’t blushing.“Yes, yes that is compatible with my schedule.”

Pearl looked between the two, noted the looks they were giving each other, and smiled to herself.“I’ll just let myself out.”

* * *

 The next day, Peridot took all her unique flowers (even the ones she wasn’t really prepared to part with—look, when you spend hours of your life tenderly caring for a plant, naming it, and talking to it… yeah there were some emotional investments in being a gardener that Peridot had not foreseen) and set them up in the shop.She stared at them.Did some mental calculations.Reset where each and every plant was.Stared at them again.Was about to move them a second time, but Lapis walked in then.

“Hello!I’m glad you’re here!I was just getting them all set up!But I can move them if you need me to!”Was she yelling?Why was she yelling?Peridot grabbed Pumpkin and hugged the cat to her chest as if that would soothe her nerves.Which it did.A little.

“Sweet.These look great.”Lapis offered Peridot a small smile and it melted her heart.“I’ll just be here.”She sat down on the spare stool Peridot had set out for her.“I won’t be in your way at all.”Pumpkin jumped up on her lap and Lapis stroked the cat.

“Oh, and Peridot?Would you like to go out with me sometime?”


	3. Elementary

It was common knowledge that angels weren’t supposed to fall in love, but Lapis never really had been good at rule-following.

“Watching your demon again, I see.”

Lapis would have yelped if she didn’t recognize Garnet’s calm voice.Without turning around, she responded, “Can’t prove it.”Her eyes remained trained on the ground so far from the cloud she’d settled on, where a greenish speck went about her daily business.

Garnet sat down next to her and dangled her legs over the cloud’s edge.Her lightning wings crackled before winking out of existence with a _pop_ and a puff of smoke.“You know her schedule better than your own.”

“I already moved the rainclouds into position over the farmlands.They’re primed and ready to go.All someone has to do is give them a good stomp.”Lapis shrugged.“You don’t need me for that.”

“You should go down there.Talk to her.”

“It’s against the rules.”

Lapis could practically hear Garnet smirk before saying, “So am I.”The older angel stood up.Unfurled her lightning wings.They crackled in the dry air.“I’m off to cause a rainstorm, but I’ll make sure to keep your demon dry.”With a whoosh, Garnet departed the cloud.

Lapis grumbled to herself.She couldn’t just _go down there._ Angels kept to the clouds.Controlled the weather.Made sure certain elements affected the ground below just so.Maintained order.Lapis, personally, was in charge of water-related events.Ensuring rain-dense clouds were at the right place at the right time to drench the world below.She couldn’t just _leave_.That would cause chaos.

What if she couldn’t find her way back?She didn’t want to be trapped forever down on the Earth.

But Peridot was down there.On Earth.Ok, she happened to be a demon, so what?Demons tended to the Earth in a similar way the angels did the clouds and sky.They weren’t really that different.Still, Lapis’s water wings remained folded neatly at her back.She didn’t want to risk getting lost.

But her heart already was.


End file.
